Transcript Emergency Management

Disability Etiquette 101
Presented by:
Statewide Disability Coordinator for Emergency
Management
Florida Division of Emergency Managtement
850-413-9969
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
Approximately 2.5 million people in the United
States are “legally blind” – meaning that even
with corrective lenses, they have less than
20/200 visual acuity or that their visual field is
20 degrees or less, regardless of acuity. Many
of them have some residual vision. Less than
10% of blind people use Braille for reading;
many people who are legally blind are able to
read large print.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• Many have “low vision.” Many have
eyesight that is better than 20/200 or a
visual field that is greater than 20 degrees,
but they have some significant impairment
that substantially limits their ability to see
well under different circumstances.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• Visual impairment does not necessarily
mean an individual is legally blind or totally
blind. It could mean a dependency on
glasses, contact lenses, etc.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• Many people who are blind or who have low
vision wear very thick glasses or very dark
sunglasses. Others carry white canes. Still
others use service animals such as guide dogs.
• Some walk with another person who serves as a
sighted guide. Some who are legally blind or
who have low vision do not use a cane or a
guide dog or wear glasses of any kind.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• Visual Impairments
– How do survivors arrive at your site?
– How do survivors move about your facility?
– How do you communicate with visually
impaired survivors?
– How do survivors register for services ?
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
Using Appropriate Language.
• Use disability-sensitive language and etiquette.
Using words such as “blind, visually impaired,
seeing, looking or watching television” are
acceptable words in conversation.
• Similarly, using descriptive language, including
references to color, patterns, and the like, is
appropriate.
• When referring to survivors with disabilities, refer
to the person first, then the disability.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• Forms and Documents. Upon request, staff should read
fully, and provide assistance in completing registration
forms and other documents based on requirements of
law. You may find it more helpful to your survivors to
provide frequently used documents – including
registration instructions – in Braille and large print. Many
people who are legally blind or who have low vision are
able to read documents printed in 18 or 20 point type in a
sans serif font such as Arial. Personnel can offer to assist
in completing the form.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
• You may simply place a cardboard edge
horizontally below a signature line or orient
the opening of a signature template
wherever a signature is required.
Disability Etiquette 101
Visual Impairments
Orientation to a Room or Service Area.
• Staff should always inform survivors as to
the location of the nearest fire exit, using
specific language such as, “In case of a fire
or other emergency, exit the room to your
left. Someone will be there to assist you.”
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• Do not lean on the wheelchair unless you have
permission to do so. A wheelchair is part of an
individual’s personal space.
• Do not assume a person using a wheelchair
needs assistance. Always ask before providing
assistance. If your offer of assistance is accepted,
ask for instructions and follow the instructions
given.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• When talking to a person who uses a
wheelchair, look at and speak directly to
that person, rather than through a
companion.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• Relax and speak naturally. Do not be
embarrassed if you happen to use
accepted common expressions such as
"got to be running along" that seem to
relate to the person's disability.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• When talking with a person in a wheelchair
for more than a few minutes, use a chair,
whenever possible. This can facilitate
conversation.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• When greeting a person who uses a
wheelchair, it is appropriate to offer to
shake hands with that person even if
he/she has upper extremity limitations.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• Use proper terminology when referring to a person
who uses a wheelchair. Terms such as "wheelchair
bound" or "confined to a wheelchair" are
inappropriate. Using a wheelchair does not mean
confinement.
• Do not assume that all people who use wheelchairs
have the same limitations. People use wheelchairs
for a variety of reasons and have different
limitations and abilities.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• When giving directions to a person with a
mobility impairment, consider distance,
weather conditions, and physical obstacles
such as stairs, curbs, and steep hills.
Disability Etiquette 101
Physical Impairments
• If a person uses a service animal, do not
pet, feed or try to play with it. A service
animal is working and should not be
interrupted.
Disability Etiquette 101
Hearing Impairments
• Address questions, comments, or concerns
directly to the individual, not to a person in their
presence.
• Shouting or exaggerating one's speech does not
help communication.
• To get a person's attention, call his/her name. If
there is no response, lightly touch him/her on the
arm or shoulder.
• If you do not understand what is being said, do
not pretend to understand. ASK again !!!
Disability Etiquette 101
Hearing Impairments
• Make direct eye contact. Natural facial expressions and
gestures will provide important information to your
conversation.
• Do not allow your face and mouth to be obscured by your
hands, hair, or food.
• When speaking to a person who lip-reads, speak clearly
without over-articulating.
• If you experience extreme difficulty in communicating
orally, ask if writing is all right. Two people can share a
keyboard and the view of a computer screen or just use a
note pad.
Disability Etiquette 101
Cognitive Impairment
• Don’t assume the person is not listening just
because you are getting no verbal or visual
feedback. Ask them whether they understand or
agree. Don’t assume you have to explain
everything to people with learning disabilities.
They do not necessarily have a problem with
general comprehension. Offer to read written
material aloud, when necessary.
Disability Etiquette 101
Speech Impairments
• Listen patiently and carefully. Don’t
complete sentences for the person unless
they indicate they need help. Don’t pretend
you understand what a person with a
speech disability says just to be polite. Ask
the person to repeat if you don’t
understand. Ask the person to write down a
word if you’re not sure what they are
saying.